ABMSI Chapter 69

After the sky lanterns were released, the scenic lake area was already closing. The crowd surged forward, and Duan Wei and the others were squeezed so tightly they couldn’t move. Peng Yan led them down a narrow path, hoping to bypass the crowd, but they ended up getting lost. By the time a staff member found them and led them out, there were hardly any people left in the scenic area.

Peng Yan stared at his phone for a long while. The ride-hailing app still showed no available drivers. The staff standing nearby finally couldn’t bear watching anymore and said, “We’re close to the outskirts here. No drivers take orders at night.”

“Then what should we do?” Xu Jianian asked anxiously.

Seeing that the group consisted of handsome boys and beautiful girls, the staff member suddenly became very enthusiastic. “There are homestays around here, and some farmhouse lodges. You should stay for the night and call a car tomorrow morning.”

The four exchanged looks. It was already late, they definitely weren’t getting a ride, and they couldn’t call their parents to pick them up at this hour. So, they nodded in agreement.

One kind staff member gave them a lift on a sightseeing cable car toward the residential area. Along the way, they saw many tourists who had also been at the scenic lake earlier. They seemed unable to get a ride as well, and like the four of them, were marching en masse toward the homestays.

“Wow, that many people,” the staff operating the cable car said without turning around. “Looks like you might not even get a room!”

Sure enough, after getting off, they visited several homestays, all fully booked. The ones that weren’t full had long lines outside, impossible to queue for. After walking for more than half an hour, they finally found a rural lodge with exactly two rooms left.

There were four of them, but two rooms were better than nothing. Peng Yan decisively paid, and the four headed upstairs.

This farmhouse lodge had a genuine countryside feel. When Duan Wei opened the window, he even saw a line of ducks wandering around below. Peng Yan threw his backpack to the side and collapsed on the bed as if his soul had left his body. “I’m exhausted…”

“What did you even do to be tired?” Xu Jianian laughed.

Peng Yan glanced weakly at Fu Duqiu, who was standing by the door. The latter’s gaze landed on Duan Wei. Seeing this, Peng Yan sighed dramatically, “You don’t understand. It’s mentally exhausting…”

The two rooms consisted of one standard twin room with soft mattresses and another Japanese-style tatami room. The tatami covered almost half the room, plenty for sleeping. They decided Xu Jianian would sleep alone in the soft-bed room, and the others would take the tatami.

Xu Jianian hesitated. “Is it okay for Duan Wei to share a room with you guys?”

“It’s fine. My Duan bro and I have slept together before, we don’t bother each other,” Peng Yan said casually. “We’re used to it.”

After speaking, he suddenly felt something was off.

He turned his head instinctively and saw Fu Duqiu staring at him, clearly evaluating the authenticity of that statement. Unaware of the tension, Xu Jianian added casually, “Huh? I grew up with him, how come I never knew that?”

“…” Peng Yan’s survival instinct kicked in. His brain spun at lightning speed. He forced out an awkward laugh. “It was when we were really little. I almost forgot, hahaha…”

As he finished, he glanced at Fu Duqiu again. Sure enough, the intensity of the man’s gaze had eased. But even so, that subtle possessiveness and hostility—felt only between Alphas—still lingered in the air.

Meanwhile, the cause of it all, Duan Wei, sat there blissfully unaware, staring idly out the window as if none of it concerned him.

The owner of the farmhouse, a warm-hearted woman in her forties or fifties, taught them how to use the water heater, then served them a plate of fruit and invited them to sit outside and chat. Unable to refuse her kindness, the four washed up and went downstairs together, sitting beneath the eaves to enjoy the night view.

The environment here was beautiful, untouched by the city, full of rustic peace. In front of the eaves was a large lawn filled with green plants, fenced off like a small paradise. The bamboo forest beyond it was especially quiet; when the wind blew, they could hear the rustling of the leaves.

They hadn’t been able to look properly earlier, but the moment Duan Wei sat down, a little dog leaped into his lap, curled into a fluffy ball.

The owner chuckled. “Our dog is usually scared of strangers, but it seems to like you.”

Duan Wei smiled softly, picking up the dog and playing with it. Peng Yan stretched lazily, yawning. “We still have school tomorrow. Did you all ask for leave?”

“I did,” Duan Wei replied.

“You stayed out overnight, and your mom didn’t chew you out?” Peng Yan asked. He had long heard of the legendary Qiao Ying.

“Of course she complained,” Duan Wei rolled his eyes. “She was over the moon once she heard I was with—”

“I told my mom I came out with you,” he quickly changed the subject, cutting off “with Fu Duqiu” halfway. “Then she stopped worrying.”

Peng Yan slapped his thigh. “Auntie has great taste!”

Fu Duqiu glanced at Duan Wei, lips curved slightly, gazing toward the bamboo forest. Fresh from a shower, he still carried the fragrance of body wash, mixed with the faint scent of his pheromones. The aroma drifted toward Duan Wei’s nose, making him shift uncomfortably away.

“It’s been so long since we just sat and chatted like this,” Peng Yan sighed contentedly. Then something crossed his mind, and he asked, “The college entrance exam is coming up. What universities are you choosing? What major?”

“I might go to an art academy to study photography,” Xu Jianian answered without hesitation.

Her only real interest had always been photography. If she could turn her hobby into her career, then in a way, that would be a blessing.

“That’s not bad. It suits you,” Peng Yan said with a grin. “I might study computer science. Sounds pretty cool!”

Hearing that, Duan Wei chuckled. It reminded him of how naïvely hopeful he’d once been when choosing a major in his real life—dreaming of the future with a simplicity that was pure and earnest.

“What about you, Duan bro?” Peng Yan suddenly asked, turning to him. “I don’t think I ever asked what you want to study. Any plans for the future?”

Duan Wei thought, Isn’t that a pointless question? I don’t even exist in this world. What future? But he still pretended to think for a moment, then casually said the major he had in his real life: “Publishing.”

“Huh?” Peng Yan frowned. That field was completely foreign to him. “Why that major?”

“What’s it to you?” Duan Wei waved him off, too lazy to explain further.

Peng Yan pursed his lips, defeated as always, and dropped the questioning. He turned to the last person. “And what about the school heartthrob?”

As top student of the entire school, Fu Duqiu didn’t need to worry about which university he’d get into. Naturally, everyone was curious about what major he’d choose afterward. Even Duan Wei looked over with interest. The original story never mentioned what career Fu Duqiu pursued in the end.

Fu Duqiu lifted his head, smiling at the three of them. Then his eyes met Duan Wei’s, brimming with curiosity. “Want to know?”

Peng Yan: “…”

He was the one who asked the question!

Seeing the teasing look directed at him instead, Duan Wei frowned, his expression saying loud and clear: Say it if you want. I don’t care. Realizing the game had gone on long enough, Fu Duqiu finally spoke frankly: “Law.”

The answer was both surprising and somehow fitting.

“Why law?” Peng Yan asked, intrigued.

“Yeah, law means memorizing tons of material. Just thinking about it gives me a headache,” Xu Jianian chimed in.

“Because I’m smart,” Fu Duqiu said with a smile. “Too much brainpower. Gotta use it somewhere.”

“Get lost!” Peng Yan laughed, swatting at him.

But after the joke, Fu Duqiu didn’t speak again. The smile faded from his face, replaced by a thoughtful calm. His gaze rested lightly on the lush bamboo forest in front of them. His eyes were quiet, heavy, and after a long moment, he spoke slowly:

“This world has cruelty, injustice, and unwilling suffering that needs to be exposed. But it also has integrity, kindness, and greatness worth protecting.”

Every word fell with weight and clarity. These weren’t lines someone could improvise casually—this was the conviction shaped by long-held beliefs and deep-seated hope.

Even Peng Yan froze a little, muttering, “Damn… that’s some philosophy. Definitely a top student.”

But Fu Duqiu just smiled and shook his head lightly. He didn’t elaborate. Instead, he reached out to play with the little dog curled in Duan Wei’s arms. His expression was gentle, yet his eyes were more resolute than ever.

Duan Wei, sitting beside him, couldn’t help looking slightly stunned. It wasn’t until the conversation drifted away that the meaning behind Fu Duqiu’s words struck him. Suddenly, he understood why Fu Duqiu would choose law.

A person’s ideals are often shaped by their childhood. From a young age, Fu Duqiu grew up in a complicated household. His parents’ marriage was broken in spirit, but because the law required at least one year before divorce could be filed, they remained forcibly bound.

As a child, he didn’t fully understand what was happening, yet he was painfully sensitive. That prolonged entrapment shaped his quiet, reserved personality. A wrong marriage imprisoned all three members of the family, leaving no escape.

And the root cause, at least in part, lay in the flaws of the law.

He wanted the power to defend people who went through what he did. Or looking even further—he wanted to protect the law, while also restricting the law.

Thinking of that, Duan Wei stole a glance at Fu Duqiu, then slowly lowered his head.

Complex emotions surged in his heart. On one hand, something gnawed at him unpleasantly. On the other hand, it felt like he was meeting a new version of Fu Duqiu—

A Fu Duqiu who held righteousness in his heart, determined to protect every bit of goodness in the world.

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Author’s Note:

There’s a little discussion about ideals here, mainly to pave the way for the two characters’ future in the extras. Don’t worry, the main story will still be filled with sweet, fluffy romance! 💕